1997
This is a list of various things that took place in 1997. Significant events March :*10 - The first appearance of the WWF's "TitanTron" -- a huge jumbotron-type large-screen television on the side of the arena where wrestlers enter the ringside area -- is featured as part of major set changes on WWF Monday Night Raw. Also as part of the set change: An entry ramp and integrated stage area, as opposed to just the aisle. Both will figure heavily into the WWF's new way of storytelling, as backstage events, interviews and other pre-taped segments will be shown as well. :*16: :** WWF Superstars unveils a major overhaul in its format, switching from the longtime formula of wrestling matches (mostly pitting main-event and mid-card wrestlers against jobbers) and pre-taped interviews to a recap format, airing highlights from arena shows, pay-per-view events and Monday Night Raw. The new format remains in place until the show's final broadcast in 2001. :** The first arena show from Madison Square Garden in five years is aired on the MSG Network ... and, as it turns out, it will be the final monthly arena show broadcast on the network, concluding a 24-year tradition of regular televised monthly shows from the venue, the past 16½ of which were on the MSG Network. Announcers are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette (in their only lead play-by-play and color commentary roles, respectively, on the network), and the final televised main event sees Vader defeat The Undertaker in a casket match (when Mankind interfered). :*17 - Following a steel cage match loss to WWF World Heavyweight Champion Psycho Sid on Monday Night Raw, Bret Hart shoves Vince McMahon to the mat during an in-ring interview after which Hart goes on a profanity-laced tirade, calling out McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon before blaming them and others for the perceived injustices he has dealt with in the past few months, before later getting into a shouting match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin over their upcoming match at WrestleMania 13. The new TitanTron and stage/ramp area figure heavily into what ends in a full-scale brawl between Hart, Psycho Sid, Austin and The Undertaker, with Shawn Michaels also coming to ringside but limiting his involvement to grabbing a chair. The segment is among the key events cited in the start of the WWF's Attitude Era. August :* Gorilla Monsoon makes his final appearances in the role of WWF president, as Sgt. Slaughter is named Commissioner; the title of "president," which had been used in storylines only, is retired at this time. Monsoon, who is starting to suffer from failing health, begins making fewer live appearances at WWF events during the rest of his life; his final came a year and a half later at WrestleMania XV in 1999, just over six months before his death November :* 3 - Vince McMahon makes his last regular lead play-by-play commentary appearance on a WWF televised program as lead announcer of the second hour of Monday Night RAW. Although he was still officially a pro-face/objective play-by-play announcer, there were already clear signs of a slow-building heel turn, which had become evident throughout the fall due to his interactions with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (at this point, the WWF's most popular wrestler by far) and several other high-ranking face wrestlers. :* 9 - The match that came to be known as the "Montreal Screwjob" takes place at the Survivor Series -- the card's main event, WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels -- at the Molson Centre in Montreal :* 10 - In response to being outed as the catalyst behind the controversial finish to the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels match the previous evening at the Survivor Series -- online criticism had begun almost immediately after Michaels was declared the winner of the match -- Vince McMahon, Jr. famously states, during an in-ring promo on WWF Monday Night Raw "Vince McMahon didn't screw Bret Hart. Bret screwed Bret Hart!", turning heel and transitioning himself into the "evil owner" persona (as Mr. McMahon) that he continues to play to this day. Meanwhile, on WCW Monday Nitro, announcers Mike Tenay and Tony Schiavone strongly condemn the actions of McMahon and Michaels, effectively accusing them of double-crossing Hart Retirements *Águila Solitaria *Timothy Brooks *Gorilla Monsoon *Jeff Gaylord Births Unknown dates :* - Des DeMonae - United States June :*4 - Riho - Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan Deaths January :*January 24 – Dr. Jerry Graham 75 February :*February 5 – Bob Brown 58 (Massive heart attack) :*February 19 – Farmer Pete March :*March 24 – Bill Miller 69 (Heart attack) June :*June 19 – Stan Stasiak 60 (Heart failure) August :*August 18 – Robert Swenson 40 (Heart failure) September :*September 10 – Fritz Von Erich 68 (Brain and lung cancer) :*September 15 – Bulldog Brower 63 October :*October 5 – Brian Pillman 35 (Arteriosclerotic heart disease) December :*December 2 – Shirley Crabtree 68 (Stroke) Debuts :*Johnny Devine :*Oscar Omar Puentes Molgado :*Shannon Ballard :*Batista :*Billy Boy :*Brothers of Destruction :*Cancerbero :*Chae An :*CIMA :*Rob Conway :*Amy Crawford (Nitro Girl) :*D-Generation X :*Danny Daniels :*Diana la Cazadora :*Disciples of Apocalypse :*Dragon Kid :*Dudley Boyz :*Evan Karagias :*Bill Goldberg :*Genny Goulet :*Jay Hanna :*James Storm :*Al Katrazz :*Tony Kozina :*La Hechicera :*Los Boricuas :*Melissa Bellin :*Michael Cole :*Ernest Miller :*Murray Cairns :*Nathan Jones :*New Age Outlaws :*Paul Lloyd, Jr. :*Rene Gomez :*Ricky Banderas :*Dean Roll :*Rocky Romero :*Ron Killings :*Rudy Switchblade :*Sangre Azteca :*Shane Shamrock :*Travis Shillington :*Gene Snitsky :*Tyson Dux :*Gerardo Campos Poza :*Xavier May :*12 - Rob Van Dam - WWF :*19 - Scott Taylor - WWF July :*14 - The Patriot - WWF October :*5 - Kane - WWF Events January :*January 11 – ECW House Party :*January 23 – WCW Clash Of The Champions #34 (Televised event) February :*February 1 – ECW Crossing The Line Again :*February 22 – ECW Cyberslam :*February 22 – ECWA 1st Annual Super 8 Tournament March :*March 15 – ECW Hostile City Showdown April :*April 12 – NJPW Battle Formation :*April 19 – JAPW JAP's First Show May :*May 10 – ECW Chapter 2 June :*June 6 – ECW Wrestlepalooza :*June 26 – ECW Orgy Of Violence July :*July 19 – ECW Heat Wave August :*August 1-August 3 – NJPW G1 Climax (Televised event) :*August 9 – ECW Born To Be Wired :*August 21 – WCW Clash Of The Champions #35 (Televised event) September :*September 11 – Wrestlefest 1997: 50 Years Of Funk :*September 20 – ECW As Good As It Gets :*September 31 – JAPW Halloween Hell October :*October 21 – IWA Mid-South King Of The Death Matches November :*November 8 – ECW Ultimate Jeopardy December :*December 5 – JAPW Night Of The Barbwire #1 :*December 6 – ECW Better Than Ever Pay-Per-View events January :*January 19 – WWF Royal Rumble :*January 25 – nWo Souled Out February :*February 16 – In Your House 13: The Final Four :*February 23 – WCW SuperBrawl VII March :*March 16 – WCW Uncensored :*March 23 – WWF WrestleMania 13 April :*April 6 – WCW Spring Stampede :*April 14 – ECW Barely Legal :*April 20 – In Your House 14: Revenge Of The Taker May :*May 5 – In Your House 15: A Cold Day In Hell :*May 18 – WCW Slamboree June :*June 8 – WWF King Of The Ring :*June 15 – WCW The Great American Bash July :*July 6 – In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede :*July 13 – WCW Bash At The Beach August :*August 3 – WWF SummerSlam :*August 9 – WCW Road Wild :*August 17 – ECW Hardcore Heaven September :*September 7 – In Your House 17: Ground Zero :*September 14 – WCW Fall Brawl :*September 20 – WWF One Night Only October :*October 5 – In Your House 18: Badd Blood :*October 26 – WCW Halloween Havoc November :*November 9 – WWF Survivor Series :*November 23 – WCW World War III :*November 30 – ECW November To Remember December :*December 7 – In Your House 19: D-Generation X :*December 28 – WCW Starcade Title changes See also Category:Wrestling Years